This disclosure relates to systems and methods for improving the ability to pack a human-powerable wheeled vehicle when not ridden, and to unpack it for riding. Human-powerable wheeled vehicles can include unicycles, bicycles, tricycles, quadricycles, wheelchairs, strollers, push scooters, and powered versions of such vehicles (such as e-bikes) that use human power and other power sources, such as electric motors or gasoline engines.
To minimize weight, human-powerable vehicles typically use space frame structures for strength and stiffness, but space frames occupy a large physical volume, which is undesirable for storage and transport. Wheels with spokes in tension between a hub and rim are an example of a difficult-to-pack structure due to the conical bulge and axle in the wheel center (hub region). Two assembled wheels with conical centers do not easily pack together into a small space. Separately, however, the wheel components (spokes, rims, tires, and hubs) occupy little volume before being assembled as a wheel.
It is beneficial for bikes, or similar, to be packed compactly, protected from impact, and covered when transported by cars, public transit (buses, trains, etc.), planes, boats, etc. The packed bike might be carried or rolled short distances at a station or airport. Packed human-powerable vehicles are stored and locked more easily than when “ready to ride.”
One example is bike transport on commercial aircraft. Many airlines charge for each piece of checked luggage. They charge more for oversize items (typically specified as length+width+height greater than 62 linear inches) and/or overweight items (typically more than 50 pounds). Airlines might refuse to take the human-powerable vehicle if not properly packed and are often not responsible for damage during transit. Observation of how luggage is handled shows that a packed bike must sustain impacts from all directions and angles. Luggage must be openable and searchable by airport security personnel and must be easily repacked after inspection of each item in a case.
Folding bike embodiments with small wheels and tires (20 inch or less) generally don't perform as well on a variety of road surfaces and terrains as bicycles with normal full-size wheels. In this document and related claims, full-size wheels are defined as wheels with a nominal outside tire diameter of 24 inches or greater and small wheels have tires nominally 20 inches in diameter or smaller. Here is a list of common small and full wheel and tire sizes:
Common name (nominalBead seat diameteroutside diameter of tire)Outside diameter of rim(inside diameter of tire)700C/29 inch648 mm (25.5 inches)622 mm (24.5 inches)650B/27.5 inch610 mm (24 inches)584 mm (23 inches)26 inch585 mm (23 inches)559 mm (22 inches)24 inch533 mm (21 inches)507 mm (20 inches)20 inch477 mm (19 inches)451 mm (18 inches)20 inch432 mm (17.75 inches)406 mm (16.25 inches)16 inch375 mm (14.75 inches)349 mm (13.75 inches)
Some bicycles with small wheels use ingenious folding to convert from a packed to a ridable bike quickly, cleanly, and without tools. Some small wheel bikes fold compactly enough to fit within the 62-linear inch size requirement and 50-pound weight limit. It is much easier to fit into 62 linear inches when the wheel is less than one third of the total length+width+height, when the nominal outside diameter of the tire is 20 inches or less.
There are full-size wheeled bikes that can pack into the 62 linear inches, but these require time, tools, expertise, and finesse to disassemble, pack, and reassemble. Referring to the bike wheel sizes listed, a typical road bike uses 700C wheels, with an outside tire diameter of 27 to 29 inches and an outside rim diameter of about 25.5 inches. The typical target packed size for such bikes is 26×26×10 inches. It takes removing the air from the tires, many disassembly steps, detailed instructions, tools, covers to wrap each part, and patience to pack all the parts into these dimensions and prevent damage during transport.
One challenge with fitting a bike with full-size wheels into 62 linear inches is that the wheels are large in diameter and fat in the center due to the tension spokes in a triangular configuration, when viewed in cross section, or a dual conical configuration when viewed three dimensionally. The spokes typically terminate in a set of holes in one plane in the rim and terminate in two parallel planes in a circular configuration in the hub. In a cross section view, this looks like a triangle that is wide at the hub and narrow at the rim. When two wheels with fat centers are put into a 26×26×10 inch case, there is little room for anything else. Saving space by compactly storing the wheels can simplify packing the other bicycle parts. It is known to have wheels that disassemble to save space, but disassemble-able wheels typically do not use tension spokes in a triangular/conical configuration. Wheels with triangular/conical spokes in tension are desired because this space frame configuration has a high strength to weight ratio. Weight is paramount for a human-powerable vehicle.
Many bicycles that are transported as checked luggage require an uncollapsible structural case, which can add to total luggage weight. There is also the issue of what to do with the case when one arrives at a destination and wants to start riding. It is better if the bike is packable in a compact arrangement that needs minimal or no external transport container or uses a transport container that can be converted to a usable part of a rideable bike.
In summary, the goal is a system/method for packing a human-powerable vehicle that (a) fits the vehicle/bike in one piece of luggage that meets applicable size and weight restrictions, is (b) lightweight and performs well when ridden, (c) is quick to pack/unpack; and (d) requires minimal tools and packaging for transporting when packed. (e) Ideally, such a system/method would not need a separate uncompactable suitcase. (f) The system/method should be as cost effective and simple to manufacture. It should be (g) safe and (h) reliable.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.